Feeding mechanism



May 27, 1941; lN' 2,243,405

FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 17, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet} Zinnentor EoeAR F!WINE (Ittorneg May 27, 1941. E. P. WINE 2,243,405

FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 3n ne ntor E 8EDGAR F! WIN;

(Ittorneg Patented May 27, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEEDINGMECHANISM Edgar P. Wine, Waynesboro, Pa., assignor to Landis ToolCompany, Waynesboro, Pa.

Application November 17, 1938, Serial No. 241,072

4 Claims.

My invention relates to feed mechanisms for machine tools andparticularly for grinding machines.

It is an object of my invention to provide a power operated feedmechanism capable of rapid positioning and slow feeding movements.

A further object is to provide manual means for adjusting the zone ofoperation of said power operated mechanism.

A further object is to provide a sliding rack which will move with thewheel base during the positioning and grinding movement and which willremain fixed relative to the bed during the adjusting movement.

Heretofore, wheel bases having a hydraulically operated rapidpositioning movement required an intermediate slide between the wheelbase and the bed. To this slide was attached a power device such as apiston and cylinder for moving the wheel base and slide bodily to placethe grinding wheel close to the work. During the succeeding grindingoperation the rapid movement would be retarded by a dash pot mechanismor by a throttle valve in the supply or exhaust system. The means foradjusting the zone of operation consisted of a rack or the like on theslide meshing with suitable gearing such as a pinion driven thrureduction gears by a handwheel.

The present invention has for its object to do away with theintermediate slide and to substitute therefor a rack slidably mounted onthe bed and operably connected to a power drive means such as a pistonand cylinder. Said rack is operably connected to the wheel base thru avertical pinion shaft with the pinion on the lower end of the shaft andin mesh with the rack. The vertical shaft may be driven thru suitablegearing by a handwheel.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial end elevation partly in section of the wheelsupport and feed mechanism of a grinding machine.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the feed mechanism.

Numeral l indicates the bed of a grinding machine. A wheel support II isslidably mounted on guide ways 12 and IS in said bed. The correspondingguides on the wheel support are indicated by the numerals l2a and l3a'.A grinding wheel I4 is rotatably mounted on said wheel support. Saidwheel is driven thru belts l5 by a motor l6 mounted on said wheelsupport II.

A cylinder 20 is mounted in the upper portion of said bed and has apiston 2| slidably mounted therein. A piston rod 22 carries a bracket 23which in turn is attached to a rack member 24.

Said rack is slidably supported in lugs 25 and 26 in said bed. Fluidunder pressure is supplied to said cylinder 20 from a pump 50 thru avalve 5| which directs said fluid to one side or the other of saidcylinder.

Movement of said piston and rack is controlled by a dash pot consistingof a cylinder 30, a piston 3| slidably mounted therein and a piston rod32 protruding from said cylinder in the path of piston rod 22 andbracket 23. Piston 3| is moved to and held in its right hand position bya spring 33. A fluid reservoir 34 above said cylinder isconnectedthereto by a divided passage having a single port in cylinder30. One part of said passage contains an adjustable throttle valve 35,the other part contains a ball check valve 36 which permits a flow offluid only from the reservoir 34 to the cylinder 30.

The teeth 21 of rack 24 engage a pinion 40 on the lower end of avertical shaft 41 in wheel base II. On the upper end of said shaftis aworm wheel 42. A worm (not shown) which meshes with said Worm wheel ismounted on one end of a horizontal shaft 43, at the other end of whichis a handwheel 44.

Operation Movement of the grinding wheel l4 toward and from the workpiece may be effected by piston 2| in response to introduction of fluidunder pressure from any suitable source into either end of cylinder 20.Said piston moves at a rapid rate until the piston rod 22 engages thepiston rod 32 of the dash pot. Movement of said piston causes a similarmovement of rack 24. The teeth on said rack exert a rotating force onpinion 40 but shaft 4| is locked against rotation from this source andthe result is that the entire wheel support is moved. forward. Thismovement is effected at a rapid rate until the wheel is almost incontact with the work. At this point piston rod 22 engages rod 32 of thedash pot and fluid in cylinder 30 is directed back to reservoir 34 at arate determined by the setting of needle valve 35.

The zone of movement of said wheel support by said piston 2| may beadjusted by rotating hand wheel 44 which thru shaft 43, worm wheel 42and shaft 4! rotates pinion 48. Rack 24 is locked against movement bythe fluid in the cylinder 20 and therefore the rotation of pinion 49causes said pinion along with the wheel base H to move relatively tosaid rack.

I claim:

1. A feeding mechanism for a grinding wheel including a base, a wheelsupport slidably mounted on said base, a grinding wheel rotatablymounted on said support, means for effecting movement of said supporttoward and from a work piece including a rack member slidably mounted insaid base, connections between said rack and said wheel support, a powermechanism and direct connection between said rack and said powermechanism.

2. A feeding mechanism for a grinding wheel including a base, a wheelsupport slidably mounted thereon, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted onsaid support, means for effecting movement of said support toward andfrom a work piece including a rack, means on said base for supportingand guiding said rack, a manually operated said rack and for movingsaid? support relative to said rack, and a power: operated mechanismdirectly connected to said rack, for moving said rack and said wheelsupport bodily.

3,. A feeding mechanism for a grinding wheel including a base, guidewaysirrsaid base, awheel support having guide surfaces resting on said guideways, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted in said support, means formoving said support toward and from a work piece including a rackslidably mounted in said base, a gear meshing with said rack, a shaftsupporting said gear, a handwheel for rotating said shaft, and powermeans directly connected to said rack.

4. A feeding mechanism for a grinding wheel including a base, guidewaysin said base, a wheel support having guide surfaces resting on saidguide ways, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted in said support, meansfor moving said support I toward and from a Work piece including a rackfeed mechanism including a pinion for engaging slidably mounted in saidbase, a gear meshing with said rack, a shaft supporting said gear, a

handwheel'for rotating said shaft, and power means directly connected tosaid rack for shifting same, said gear, shaft and handwheel assemblybeing mounted on said Wheel support.

EDGAR P. WINE.

